lighthall



(No Model.)

A. H. LIGHTHALL.

WATER WHEEL.

A lication flied Aug. 8,- 1898.)

.Patanted ma 2, I399,

2 Sheets-Sheet l No. 624,350; Patented May 2, I899. A. H. LIGHTHALL.

WATER WHEEL.

(Application filed Aug. 8, 1898.) v Modem 2 Sheets$heet 2.

rII'II.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALMERIN H. LIGHTHALL, OF NEW YORK, N Y., ASSIGNOR TO HENRY A.

MAURER, OF SAME PLACE.

WATAER- WHEEL.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 624,350, dated May 2,1899.

- Application filed August 8, 1898. Serial No. 688,078. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALMERIN H. LIGHTHALL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Water-Wheels;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to jet or impact waterwheels.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a water-wheelof the kind described which shall be simple and inexpensive inconstruction and by the use-of which, in connection with a jet or jetsof water projected on one side or the other of the wheel, the latter maybe revolved with equal speed and force in either direction.

A further object of the invention is to prov ing the wheel in theopposite direction to that in which it will be turned if projectedagainst the buckets or vanes of the other series.

Further, the invention consists of a waterwheel having a double orbifurcated periphery, each portion of the periphery being provided witha series of buckets or vanes, the openings in the respective seriesbeing oppositely arranged.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure l is a side view of a water-wheel constructed in accordance withmy invention. Fig. 2 is an end view thereof. Fig. 3 is a centralvertical sectional View; and Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to Fig. 3,showing a m odified form of device for attaching the wheel to its hub.

In the drawings, A represents the waterv the water under pressure isdirected against the buckets or vanes. The buckets or vanes arepreferably constructed as shown, each being provided with a central ribor projection 17, against which the water is discharged and by which thestreams of water are divided and directed into the cups. The outer edgesof the cups are somewhat lower than the rib or projection 12, so thatwater projected into the cups will be discharged from the outer edgesthereof free from the buckets in order to offer no obstruction bycontact with them to the free revolution of the wheel.

In order that there may be a space on each side of each series ofbuckets or vanes 13, the periphery of the wheel is bifurcated, as shownin Fig. 3 of the drawings, forming two circumferential ribs A A, towhich the two series of buckets or vanes are respectively attached. Thisconstruction allows the free and unobstructed discharge of water fromthe inner as well as the outer faces of the buckets, and

"thus the water used to propel the wheel while under pressure will notcome in contact with any part of the wheel except the buckets, and

any impinging of the water while un der pressure against any part of thewheel which might result in retarding the revolution of the latter isobviated.

The preferred means for attaching the water-wheel A to its shaft 0 isclearly shown in the sectional Views, Figs. 3 and 4. The hub A of thewheel is chambered, as shown at a a, and that portion of the shaft 0which comes opposite the chamber is provided with correspondingindentations c c. Arranged in the spaces thus formed when the wheel isin place on the shaft are keys D, adapted to lie partially in thechambers in the hub and partially in the indentations in the shaft. The

The keys are moved to and retained in proper position in the the wheelto the shaft by the set-screws d d. These set-screws extend throughscrewthreaded openings in the hub and bear at their inner ends againstedges of the keys. Each key has a central screw-threaded opening, intowhich projects a screw (1', extending through the'hub. Y

In arranging the wheel on the shaft the keys are drawn up into thechambers in the hub by the screws d, and the shaft is introduced throughthe opening in the hub. Thechamber in the hub and the indentation in thesh af tare brought opposite each-other, andthen the screws d areloosened, and the setscrews d d are moved in forcing the keys topositions partially in both the hub and shaft. By tightening theset-screws (Z d the keys will be firmly seated, and as a result thewheel is rigidlysecured to the shaft. The loosening of the set-screws d(1 will allow the keys to-be moved back into the hub by the screws d,allowing the removal of the wheel.

In the modified form of device shown'in- Fig. 40f the drawings the hubof the Wheel is made in two pieces A A, by which is held" the mainportion A of the wheel. The parts nected by the bolts a In the modifiedform the keys are retained in place by the inner edge'of the mainportion of the wheel which bears against the keys.

Water under pressure from a pump or pumps or other suitable source isprojected from nozzles E or F upon one or the other of the series ofbuckets or vanes B, according to the direction in which the wheel is tobe revolved. The nozzles,of which any desired number may be employed,are arranged at suitable angles to cause thewater directed by each tothe buckets at angles which will most efiectively drive the wheel, andeach nozzle is so located as to strike the rib or projection of eachbucket of the series against .which it is directed.

The buckets or vanes employed are all of the same size, so that thewater from both sets of nozzles being under the same pressure anddelivered in the same quantity from each, the wheel may be revolved ineither direction wvith equal power and speed. This feature of myinvention has especial advantages in the uses to which the wheel may beplaced, particularly when it is employed on a vessel when quick reversalof the direction of movejment and rapid attainment of full speed ineither direction are" essential.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is'- a 1. A water-wheel having on theperiphery thereof two parallel series of buckets or vanes having cupsfor receiving the impact of water,

the cups of the buckets of the respective series being oppositelyarranged, and there being a space between the two series, substan- 1tially as described.

A of the wheel are chambered to receive the keys D, and the parts of thehub are con- 2. A water-wheel having its periphery bif-urcated, eachportion being provided with a substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALMERIN H. LIGHTHALL.

-VVitn esses:

JOHN PFEIFFER, J r., ALBERT LEU.

